New Guinea Impatiens plant named `Balcelsan`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named `Balcelsan`, characterized by its dark red-colored flowers; floriferousness; upright and mounded plant habit; relatively large plant size; vigor; good basal branching; and dark green leaves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name `Balcelsan`.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Arroyo Grande, Calif. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new cultivars with excellent basal branching, medium upright growth habit, numerous large flowers, and interesting flower and foliage colors.

The new Impatiens originated from a self pollination made by the Inventor of the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar `BFP-368 Rose`, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,532. The cultivar `Balcelsan` was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the self pollination in a controlled environment in Arroyo Grande, Calif., in Dec. 1996. Plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the parent cultivar primarily in flower color as plants of the parent cultivar have dark pink colored flowers.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Arroyo Grande, Calif., has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of `Balcelsan`. These characteristics in combination distinguish `Balcelsan` as a new and distinct cultivar.

1. Dark red-colored flowers; freely flowering.

2. Upright and mounded plant habit.

3. Relatively tall plant size; vigorous.

4. Good basal branching.

5. Dark green leaves.

The new Impatiens can be compared to the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar `Rhapsody`, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,396. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Arroyo Grande, Calif., plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the cultivar `Rhapsody` in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens are shorter than plants of the cultivar `Rhapsody`.

2. Stems, petioles and peduncles of plants of the new Impatiens are green in color whereas stems, petioles and peduncles of plants of the cultivar `Rhapsody` are maroon in color.

3. Flower color of plants of the new Impatiens is slightly more red than flower color of plants of the cultivar `Rhapsody`.

4. Peduncles of plants of the new Impatiens are longer than peduncles of plants of the cultivar `Rhapsody`.

A detailed comparison of plants of the cultivar `Balcelsan` and the cultivar `Rhapsody` appears in Chart A at the end of the specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. The photograph comprises a top perspective view of a typical plant of `Balcelsan`. Flower and foliage colors in the photograph may appear different than the actual colors due to light reflectance.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivat `Balcelsan` has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plants grown in 10-cm pots in Arroyo Grande, Calif., under commerical practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures about 20 to 22° C., night temperatures about 18 to 20° C., and light levels generally about 2,500 to 3,000 footcandles.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar `Balcelsan`.

Parentage: Self pollination of Impatiens hawkeri cultivar `BFP-368 Rose`, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,532.

Propagation:

Type cutting.--Terminal settings.

Time to initiate roots.--About 7 days at 18° C.

Time to develop roots.--About 21 days at 18° C.

Rooting habit.--Fibrous, fine, freely branching.

Plant description:

General appearance.--Upright and mounded; relatively tall plant size; vigorous. Appropriate for 10 and 12.5-cm containers.

Growth and branching habit.--Good basal branching with about seven lateral branches at the base, dense and bushy growth. Pinching, that is, removal of the terminal apices, is usually not required.

Crop time.--Starting with a rooted cutting, about ten weeks are required to produced a finished flowering plant in a 10-cm container.

Plant height.--About 19 to 21 cm.

Plant width.--About 18 to 20 cm.

Lateral branches.--Length: About 15 to 18 cm. Diameter: About 7 to 9 mm. Internode length: About 3.5 to 6 cm. Color: 144C.

Foliage description.--Leaves simple, generally symmetrical, abundant, in whorls or opposite. Length: About 6.5 to 8.5 cm. Width: About 2 to 4 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Serrate/ciliate. Texture: Somewhat rugose; glabrous. Color: Young foliage, upper surface: 137B. Young foliage, lower surface: 138B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 137A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 138A. Venation, upper surface: 145C. Venation, lower surface: 145C. Petiole: Length: About 5 to 15 mm. Diameter: About 2 to 4 mm. Color: 145C.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.--Dark red-colored flowers. Freely and continuously flowering. Flowers arise from leaf axils. Usually about eight to twelve flowers and flower buds per lateral branch. Flowers positioned mostly above the foliage and typically face outward to upward. Flowers generally flat and rounded. Flowers persistent.

Flowering season.--Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In the garden, flowering is continuous from spring until fall.

Flower longevity.--Flowers last about one week depending on temperature, light level, and water status.

Flower size.--Diameter: About 6 to 6.5 cm. Depth: About 1 cm.

Flower buds.--Length: About 1.7 to 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 1.1 to 1.2 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Color: Close to 46C.

Petals.--Quantity: Five, overlapping. Length: About 3.5 to 3.8 cm. Width: About 3.4 to 3.5 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex: Retuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth. Color: Fully opened, upper surface: 46B. Fully opened, lower surface: 46C.

Spur.--Length: About 6 to 6.5 cm. Shape: Narrow and curved. Color: 185B.

Peduncles.--Length: About 7 to 8 cm.

Angle.--About 45° to the lateral branch. Strength: Strong. Color: 144C.

Reproductive organs.--Androecium: Stamen number: Five, anthers fused, filaments free. Anther shape: Obovate. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 11C. Gynoecium: Five-loculate fused. Ovary color: 144A.

Disease resistance: Resistance to pathogens common to Impatiens has not been observed.

Seed development: Seed production has not been observed.

                  CHART A                                                          ______________________________________                                         CHARACTERISTIC                                                                              `BALCELSAN`  `RHAPSODY`                                           ______________________________________                                         PLANT HEIGHT About 19 to 21 cm                                                                           About 25 to 27 cm                                    PLANT WIDTH  About 18 to 20 cm                                                                           About 21 to 25 cm                                    LATERAL BRANCH                                                                              About 15 to 18 cm                                                                           About 19 to 21 cm                                    LENGTH                                                                         STEM COLOR   144C         183B                                                 LEAF COLOR,  137A         147A                                                 UPPER SURFACE                                                                  LEAF COLOR,  138A         147B                                                 LOWER SURFACE                                                                  PETIOLE COLOR                                                                               145C         184A                                                 FLOWER DIAMETER                                                                             About 6 to 6.5 cm                                                                           About 6.5 to 7.5 cm                                  SPUR LENGTH  About 6 TO 6.5 cm                                                                           About 7 to 8 cm                                      PETAL COLOR, 46B          61B                                                  FULLY OPENED,                                                                  UPPER SURFACE                                                                  PETAL COLOR, 46C          61C                                                  FULLY OPENED,                                                                  LOWER SURFACE                                                                  PEDUNCLE LENGTH                                                                             About 7 to 8 cm                                                                             About 4 to 5 cm                                      PEDUNCLE COLOR                                                                              144C         Between 184B and 184C                                ______________________________________                                     

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named 